Kitabı oku: «The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 47, September 30, 1897», sayfa 3

It is stated on most reliable authority that the Carlists have secretly established an elaborate military organization. They have, so it is said, made lists of all the men who are willing to fight for Don Carlos, and have arranged and mustered them in troops and companies, posting each man as to his place and duties. When the time comes that the Carlists unfurl their standard and revolt against the Government of Spain, they expect, by these means, to have a well-drilled army to back up the claims of the Pretender.

Arrangements have been made for the Carlist leaders to meet at Lucerne in Switzerland. They are to discuss the situation. Many of them think that they have been passive long enough, and that it is now high time that a decided attempt should be made to secure the crown for their candidate.

A flutter of excitement was caused in this country the other day by the news that a Spanish officer had been inspecting our Southern coast defences, and had made sketches of some of them to send to Madrid.

Our Government ordered the matter investigated, and it was found that the man who had apparently been spying on our forts was a lieutenant in the Spanish navy named Sobrai. He is known to us as being the author of certain letters, calling attention to the weakness of our coast defences.

On his arrival in Charleston, Señor Sobrai chartered a boat and went over to Sullivan's Island, where the new forts are being constructed, and spent the day examining them.

He was not admitted inside the works, and could only make his observations from the outside. A new regulation has lately been made by the War Department, forbidding any persons to inspect the new defences, except American army and navy officers.

When Lieutenant Sobrai heard of the accusation against him, he protested against it vigorously. He said that he had not made the slightest effort to inspect any of our Southern forts or coast defences.

He declared that he had been in the South on a confidential mission from his Government, and that his visit to Sullivan's Island was merely to escape the intolerable heat of the city.

Whether his statement be true or false, the scare which he caused will have the good effect of making our Government still more careful about admitting strangers to our forts.

The reports from India are not as encouraging as they were last week.

There seems to have been small foundation for the statement that the Mullah had ordered his followers to go back to their homes, and had disbanded his forces because of the refusal of the Mohmands to join him.

It is true that the Mohmands have not risen, and that the British have little or no fear that they mean to make trouble; but the Afridis are just as troublesome as ever.

They have now been joined by a new tribe called the Orakzais. If these people are as terrible as their name, they must be an unpleasant enemy.

The news comes from the hills that these two tribes now represent a force of forty-seven thousand men, and that they are advancing on the Samana Hills, where the British have a number of small forts.

The tribesmen apparently intend to attack and demolish these forts.

Some brave fighting is being done in these hills. One of the forts was attacked by a body of Orakzais, one thousand strong. Its garrison consisted of twenty native soldiers, who defended themselves with wonderful heroism for a period of six hours.

One of these men whose duty it was to signal to the other forts remained at his post until the fort was captured. In spite of the bullets that were whistling around him, he continued sending his messages of warning until he was overcome by the enemy.

Another had been told off to defend the guard-room of the fort. He remained at his post, killing twenty of the enemy before he was shot down himself.

Of the whole garrison, but one man remained alive when the assault was over.

These heroes were not white men, but native subjects of Queen Victoria. They belonged to a people called the Sikhs, natives of the Punjaub, a northern province of Hindustan.

With such brave men as these loyal to their standard, the British should take heart about their future in India.

The expedition which is to be sent out to punish the rebellious tribes is being hurried forward with all possible speed.

The Ameer of Afghanistan has, it is said, become seriously alarmed over the advance of the British troops to the frontier. He is persuaded that England intends to invade Afghanistan, and take his country away from him.

The Government in India has sent him word that though they are obliged to send troops across his frontier, in order to accomplish their purposes, their object is solely to punish the mad priest, or Haddah Mullah, and his followers. They assure the Ameer that no harm is intended to him or his loyal subjects, but declare that all the tribes who endeavor to oppose their advance or harass the English troops will be included in the severe punishment which the British intend to mete out to their enemies.

On hearing this, the Ameer sent a letter to the Mullah, ordering him to cease from inciting the Afridis to revolt.

In spite of this the British Government continues to be very suspicious of the honesty of the Ameer.

Word has been sent to him from the Government that no war material or machinery for manufacturing it will be allowed to cross the frontier into Afghanistan until the present troubles are over, and the tribes at peace.

Some time ago we talked to you about the Ex-Empress Charlotte of Mexico, widow of the Emperor Maximilian who was shot by the Mexicans.

The Empress, as you doubtless remember, went out of her mind from the troubles of her short reign in Mexico.

We told you that after thirty years of insanity the poor lady had given signs of returning reason, and that the doctors thought a visit to Mexico might entirely restore her.

Preparations were being made for the visit, which was to take place as soon as the doctors thought it safe. All plans have now, however, had to be abandoned, for the Empress Charlotte has become so alarmingly ill that her life is despaired of, and the news of her death is hourly expected.